Salted Caramel Banana Pancakes are fluffy buttermilk pancakes with mashed banana in the batter, topped with homemade salted caramel and fresh banana slices. Every bite is rich, cozy, and downright irresistible, like dessert for breakfast ...in the best way.
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If you've ever craved the sweet, comforting flavors of banana and caramel, you're going to love this revamped take on a classic diner-style breakfast. Inspired by the flavors of Denny's banana caramel pancakes, this version brings all the nostalgia without relying on shortcuts.
Instead of cookie crumbles or store-bought sauces, this homemade recipe focuses on real, rich flavor: fluffy banana pancakes made with mashed banana in the batter, drizzled with a luscious homemade salted caramel syrup. Top them off with some sliced bananas and they're a rich, homemade treat that's absolutely delicious.
Built on my (Copycat) Denny's Pancake Recipe base, this version takes it a step further by using simple, wholesome ingredients and ditching the pre-made toppings. The result is a breakfast that feels indulgent but is made with love from scratch, and yes, it's absolutely delicious.
Whether you're making weekend brunch a little more special or just looking for a cozy weekday treat, these Salted Caramel Banana Pancakes are guaranteed to hit the spot. But don't forget to explore my Sugar Free Pancakes and Birthday Cake Pancakes too!
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's truly decadent. The homemade salted caramel syrup and real banana in the batter add an unbeatable depth of flavor.
- It's made from scratch but still simple. No store-bought caramel needed, just a few basic ingredients come together to create something amazing.
- Every bite is soft, warm, and comforting. The mashed banana makes the pancakes incredibly fluffy and moist, while the caramel drizzle brings that perfect sweet-salty finish.
🛒 Ingredients
Buttermilk- This will give us a wonderful taste! You can DIY your own buttermilk if needed. If you still have buttermilk left, try using it up in our Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes or Blueberry Cream Cheese Scones.
Homemade Salted Caramel Syrup - Made with brown sugar, milk, vanilla and butter, and salt, this recipe is perfect for fast mornings. Skip the store-bought version; making your own takes just minutes and tastes far better.
Ripe Banana- Use a ripe banana for added toppings on your pancakes. This will really give us a full experience.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Caramel Options. Homemade caramel tastes best, but store-bought works. If it's too thin, warm it and whisk in ½-1 teaspoon cornstarch to thicken.
Banana Options. Use ½ cup mashed banana for stronger flavor or ¼ cup for a lighter taste. Add sliced bananas on top if desired.
DIY Buttermilk (1 cup). Mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and rest 5 minutes.
Flavor Variations. Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ cup chocolate chips, or finish with toasted nuts or flaky salt.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use overripe bananas. Soft, spotty bananas are cheaper (often found on the discount rack) and mash more smoothly into the batter.
Skip store-bought caramel. Homemade caramel costs pennies to make and tastes far richer than bottled versions, plus it uses pantry staples you already have.
Buy buttermilk wisely. If you don't use buttermilk often, DIY it with milk + lemon juice/vinegar to avoid buying a whole carton.
🥄 Instructions for Salted Caramel Banana Pancakes
Step 1: Melt your butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan.
Step 2: Add the brown sugar and milk. (Image 1). Increase the heat to medium and stir constantly until it begins to boil. (Image 2). Let boil for 2 minutes. STIR THE WHOLE TIME.
Step 3: Remove the pan from the heat and add in the vanilla and salt. (Image 3). Stir together to combine. (Image 4). Carefully taste and adjust the salt if desired.
Step 4: Let the caramel cool until needed.
Step 5: If desired, pour the caramel syrup into a clean jar for easy pouring later. (Image 5).
Step 6: To a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. (Image 6).
Step 7: Stir together with a whisk to combine. (Image 7).
Step 8: In a large mixing bowl, mash your bananas really well until no big chunks remain. (Image 8).
Step 9: To the mashed banana, add the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. (Image 9). Mix together until smooth. (Image 10).
Step 10: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. (Image 11). Stir gently to combine, you don't want flour streaks, but a few lumps are okay! (Image 12).
Step 11: Preheat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease. Allowing your batter to rest for a few minutes while the pan preheats will give you much fluffier results.
Step 12: Scoop about ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto the hot griddle.
Step 13: Cook for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles form and the edges start to look set. Flip and cook 1-2 more minutes, until golden.
Step 14: Serve warm, drizzled generously with the salted caramel sauce. Enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Make caramel first. Caramel thickens as it cools, so prepare it before mixing your batter. Warm briefly if it becomes too thick to drizzle.
- If the caramel becomes too thick. Simply reheat it in the microwave or on the stove for a few moments to get it back to a drizzling consistency.
- Rest the batter. Allow the pancake batter to rest for 5 minutes to achieve a fluffier texture.
❄️ Storage and Reheating
Storage: Store leftover Salted Caramel Banana Pancakes in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Keep caramel and bananas separate to prevent sogginess.
Reheating: Microwave pancakes for 20-30 seconds, or warm in a skillet over low heat. Reheat caramel in the microwave for 15-30 seconds until pourable.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
These Salted Caramel Banana Pancakes pair beautifully with crispy bacon, air fryer sausage links, or a fresh side like Mixed Berry Syrup. For a lighter breakfast, serve with fresh fruit, yogurt, or a refreshing drink like my Strawberry Banana Orange Smoothie.
- Mixed Berry SyrupRecipe $3.79 / Serving $0.47
- Strawberry Banana Orange SmoothieRecipe $1.67 / Serving $0.84
- Crustless Veggie QuicheRecipe $3.73 / Serving $0.47
- Overnight Tater Tot CasseroleRecipe $13.18 / Serving $1.10
❓ Recipe FAQs
Keep your leftovers stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat again before eating. I recommend keeping the caramel and bananas separate until ready to serve again.
While butter tastes great on pancakes I truly enjoy spraying my pans with oil and then rubbing the fresh pancakes with butter before serving. This is because butter often burns and browns too quickly on the skillet which results in spotty-looking pancakes. Oil on the pan is more likely to give you a nice golden color.
Yes, you can make this batter the night before and keep it well covered and stored in the fridge until ready to use in the morning.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Strawberry Blueberry PancakesRecipe $2.32 / Serving $0.19
- Mixed Berry SyrupRecipe $3.79 / Serving $0.47
- Strawberry Cheesecake PancakesRecipe $7.26 / Serving $1.22
- Easy Crepes With Pancake MixRecipe $2.84 / Serving $0.28
🐝 If you tried these Salted Caramel Banana Pancakes, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Salted Caramel Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour - ($0.30)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar - ($0.05)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder - ($0.05)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda - ($0.01)
- ½ teaspoon salt - ($0.01)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon - ($0.08)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional - ($0.02)
- 1 ½ large ripe bananas, mashed, about ¾ cup - ($0.45)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten - ($0.64)
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk - ($0.75)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil - ($0.38)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - ($0.02)
Salted Caramel Sauce
- ½ cup salted butter - ($0.99)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed - ($0.95)
- ¼ cup milk - ($0.05)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - ($0.02)
- ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste - ($0.01)
Optional Toppings
- sliced bananas
- crushed shortbread cookies or chopped walnuts
- whipped cream or Greek yogurt
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Make Caramel Sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the brown sugar and milk, increase heat to medium, and stir constantly until boiling. Boil for 2 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Let cool slightly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg if using.
- Mix Wet Ingredients. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Stir in the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter or oil, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine Batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir just until combined. A few small lumps are fine.
- Cook Pancakes. Preheat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat and lightly grease. Scoop about ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto the hot surface. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles form and edges look set. Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until golden.
- Serve. Serve warm with salted caramel sauce and desired toppings.
Notes
- Batter Texture. Do not overmix. Small lumps help create fluffy pancakes.
- Heat Control. Lower the heat if pancakes brown too quickly on the outside.
- Resting Batter. Letting the batter rest for 5 minutes improves fluffiness.
- Caramel Storage. Store leftover caramel in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 15 to 45 seconds until pourable.
- Yield Tip. The caramel recipe makes enough for two full batches of pancakes.
Nutritional Information
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